Tomorrow, Apple is set to introduce its latest iPhones and all the rumours are pointing towards USB-C as replacement of the Lightning port.
The last time Apple switched the port from the 30-pin connector to the Lightning port was in 2012 with the iPhone 5; and a of people did not like the switch because 1. People don’t like change and 2. What was to happen to all the accessories that they brought prior to the change? they are not going to work with the new phone (unless they use an adapter).
We are in a similar yet different situation right now. People still don’t like change and people are not going to like when the port on the iPhone changes, but the difference is the Lightning port was something totally new when Apple introduced it and USB-C has already been out there for a while. Apple first went USB-C with the new MacBook in 2015 and the first iOS device was with the 2018 iPad Pro, and there is a plethora of Android phones all on USB-C, so my take is that people will not be happy about it, but will find the transition to USB-C relatively easier. You could go out an buy an USB-C now, which wasn’t the case when in 2012 when the switch to Lightning happened.
By “people” above I mean the general public who are oblivious to changes in tech. Chances are if you are reading this, is that you are a tech enthusiast like me. I personally thought that Apple might get to a port-less iPhone before going USB-C, but Apple is forced to do this because of the EU regulation that all smartphones should use a unified cable. Do I like it this change? Yes, I think so, but I do have loads of Lighting cables around which will probably go to others in the family who still use older iPhones. I do have a pair of AirPods and AirPod Pros which need the Lightning cable but I can’t recall the last time I actually plugged them into charge. I put them on my wireless QI charger at my desk, or my MagSafe Duo charger I have next to my bed and it does the job. I do have a Magic TrackPad that I use with my MacBook Pro so I can’t give all my Lightning cables away.
I think this change is going to go relatively smoothly for Apple than the change in 2012 but I do expect a few “Apple is only doing to this to make us buy more cables from them” comments. Mark Gurman, reporting for Bloomberg a few days ago said:
When it’s introducing a new product or dealing with the media, it always wants to operate from a position of strength. Apple’s keynote presentation won’t mention the European Union or make reference to the many times over the past few years that it criticized the government’s decision to require USB-C
Coming from a point of strength is great PR but how are people going to take it? Only time will tell. Apple’s marketing team will have a busy couple of months ahead.